Of Fear and Mutations
by Droogs for Ultraviolence
Summary: An AU American Horror Story: Asylum/Batman crossover, featuring the Doctors Arden and Crane. Two icy men with plenty of secrets and too many commonalities to find anything more in the other than an enemy. Reviews welcome!
1. Introducing Doctors Arden and Crane

An American Horror Story: Asylum/Batman AU crossover, starring the Doctors Arden and Crane. It may become a full-fledged fic; it may not. I can never tell where my muses will lead me.

"Sister- tell me about this... new psychiatrist the Monsignor hired." Arden's tone was light, conversational, but his mind was far from easy. A new threat, no doubt; the doctor had no time for this. Arden was far behind in his work as it was, courtesy of Sister Jude and her frenzied attempts at bringing him to 'justice'. That woman had no idea what she was talking about- she was endangering scientific advancement. That was the only crime here.

"Doctor... Crane, I believe. Jonathan Crane. Seems a bit... _distant_, to be honest." The nun gave a dismissive huff before excusing herself, making her way toward the bakery. Crane... Hm. Perhaps now was the time to pay his new colleague a visit. Pivoting on his heel, he turned to walk to Thredson's old temporary office- he supposed Crane would be the newest occupant.

Jonathan Crane was busy inspecting his new surroundings, growing increasingly disgusted with each discovery. No, he had not expected Briarcliff to be spotless, but this was simply ridiculous. The entire place seemed to be covered in a layer of filth and nothing he could do would clean it. No matter. A job is a job and experiments -_patients_- are experiments. Perhaps the grime kept them unwell. A cold tactic to keep them calm without the expenses of medication, but a brilliant one, nonetheless. He could appreciate that.

The doctor was reading through his notes when there was a knock at the door. Hurriedly, he stowed the papers away before rushing to the door. "Yes?" he asked, the annoyance in his tone obvious.

"My apologies, Doctor, if I am interrupting anything. I simply wished to bid the new psychologist welcome." Arden's feigned hospitality was noticed without any effort by the younger of the two. "Doctor Arthur Arden."

"No, no. You, ah, may come in." He left the open door to remove one of his boxes from the chair opposite his desk. "Take a seat, please." He could play this little game, too- Crane even went so far as to smile. Arden took the seat offered, while Crane perched on the corner of his new desk, never mind the informality. "Doctor Arden. Monsignor Howard mentioned you- I must admit, it is nice to know I am not the only man of science around here. Doctor Jonathan Crane, though I take it you already know who I am. It's a pleasure." The two shook hands, ignoring the obvious sense of suspicion in the air.

"The pleasure's all mine." His eyes wandered to a half-open filing cabinet, where the hidden files covering Crane's personal research were held. Judging from the psychiatrist's stiffening and slightly narrowed eyes, there was something intriguing in there. "A _man of science_, hm? That isn't typically what I would expect a man in your profession to refer to himself as."

"Do you not believe that furthering the understanding of the mind and its chemical impulses not scientific? To learn just how the very worst psychological disorders come about? To evaluate the effects of external, and, at times, internal stimuli upon the body?" Crane's tone was cold, cutting. Was this man honestly implying that he was not of the same caliber as him?

Arden, on the other hand, was was undeniably interested, though from his wording, a tad more suspicious. Was Crane intending on testing on his patients? _No, no_. He surely didn't mean it in that light. "_Ah_... In that case, Doctor, you have my apology." Crane's curt nod in response was a sign that the elder had outstayed his welcome already. _Touchy_. "I suppose I shall let you get back to unpacking, then." He stood, forcing a small smile to his lips.

"Right. Thank you, Doctor Arden." Crane led him to the door. "Until next time."

"Of course." Again, with the forced pleasantries. He left the office, smirking slightly as he heard the door slam behind him. A man serious about his work with a secret that he wasn't too fond of sharing. Crane would fit in rather nicely, after all.


	2. Suspicions Arise

So I guess this is sort of going to become just a collection of oneshots about their working together? I... I really don't know how to plan out fics, but I need to write them together ALWAYS, so... Right. Well. Please hang with me as I figure out what exactly I'm doing here.

This one is short, because I'm struggling with my muse at the moment (but you guys wanted more and I just couldn't abandon this any longer).

Thanks to **wouldyouliketoseemymask,** **m. michele, Lithia900** & **emcewan** for the encouraging reviews (and the ideas that I hope to write out)!

* * *

Screams broke out from the office of Briarcliff's newest addition. Blood-curdling, terrified screams that promoted many copycats among the other patients. Wardens and nuns alike rushed to the source, only to find the door locked and a disgrunted Crane informing them from the other side that his patient was having a breakthrough and their interruption could very well ruin it. No one even questioned it. Beneath his mask, the doctor smiled. This was going to be far too easy. The screams became faint, as did the patient not too long after Scarecrow returned in his line of view.

The maggots were the bottom line.

Not all of the staff at Briarcliff turned a blind eye to Crane's terror-filled sessions, however. Arden's suspicions had at last been confirmed- that fool was using _his_ patients as subjects. For what, he wasn't sure, but there were no "breakthroughs" made. In fact, every last one was more insane than before entering Crane's office, always mumbling over a scarecrow. Had it not been for Arthur's claim of possession, he might have been excited to assist the other doctor in whatever endevour he was so engrossed in. For anything to have such a profound psychological effect on anyone- needless to say, it had Arden intrigued.

But that didn't mean he wanted his toys to be rendered irreparable. Fractured, that was fine- this was an asylum, after all. But Crane went above and beyond. Arden wanted nothing to do with whimpering messes that had no dream of properly functioning ever again! That took the real fun out of his games. No, his true joy came from watching as the last glimer of hope left his subject's eye; as they realized the were never going to be seen or heard from again (not as themselves, at least). There has to be a dream of recovery for such pain, and Crane's patients didn't even have a prayer of grasping reality again.

With the further maddened patient out of Crane's office, Arden decided to make his move. A knock on the outside and an annoyed, muffled groan from the inside before the door swung open, revealing a positively livid Jonathan Crane. "_What_ is it, Doctor?" The venemous tone and icy anger took the elder by surprise, but he soon recovered, forcing an all but victorious smile on his lined face.

"I believe now is the time to converse over your... treatment styles. Has Sister Jude come to you with concerns?" Letting himself into the office, Arden took the seat opposite Crane's desk.

"Yes- we came to an understanding. How _long_ is this going to take? As you can imagine, I'm quite busy." Crane's voice very nearly became a hiss as he stood beside the other, all but glaring at him. Arden furrowed his brow, interested- precisely what the psychologist had hoped against.

"An understanding... how so?"

"She insisted that I explain my treatments. I am the least of her worries." His eyes flashed, a small smirk developing on his face. Oh yes, he had learned all about Arden through Jude's drug-induced state... he supposed she would be back to persuing the _Nazi _soon enough. It wasn't even half a dose; lucky woman, she was.

The elder froze, looking up at Crane with an incredulous expression. What had he done...? _What had she said?_

Come to think of it, Jude had been unwell the past two days- she'd refused his expertise (most likely a very wise decision on her part).

"... And if I insist the same?"

"I suppose you'll be staying after hours, then, Doctor Arden."

"Very well, Doctor Crane. I must say, you have me _very_ intrigued."

"Likewise."

* * *

Ergh. I wasn't feeling any fear toxin today ;_;

I know that Crane and Jude's implied thing was probably really cheap and all but I really don't know how to write her.

So, uh, hopefully we'll see into Arden's worst fears relatively soon, yeah?


End file.
